Palie dodges bullets in school attack
|Published
ATTACK: Outside Itsitsa Primary School in Mfuleni
A principal is lucky to be alive after a brazen gunman walked into a Mfuleni school and opened fire on him.
The palie of Itsitsa Primary School in Nqubelani Street was attacked by someone who apparently pretended to be one of the matric pupils who were writing their final exams at the school.
It is alleged that the suspect asked the principal where the exam hall was and then shot him but missed.
A worker at the school says: “The principal was driving to the parking lot when the man with a plastic bag walked in and went to his car.
“He stood by the window and asked about the hall, then he took out the gun from the plastic bag and shot at the principal.
“Both of the shots missed the principal and hit his car windows.
“Then the man ran out of the school. Luckily the children were not in the school yet as it was around 7am when it happened.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond says they are aware of the incident.
“The WCED is aware of the concerning and shocking incident that happened outside the school yesterday morning.
“The alleged perpetrator approached the principal asking for information and then took out a gun and fired a shot.
“The principal managed to dodge the bullet and drove into the school premises. A second shot was allegedly fired.
“Thankfully the principal is physically unharmed.”
She adds: “The motive behind the incident is not known to us.”
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut says a case of attempted murder is under investigation.
“An unknown suspect fired shots at the male victim while he was sitting in his vehicle.
“He was fortunately not injured. The suspect fled and is yet to be arrested,” he says.